Imagine if having surgery was simple and painless?  Well, in a few years it may be just that. Currently a team of Stanford engineers is working on a surgical invention in the form of a tiny microchip.  The process would entail inserting the microchip into a person’s blood stream and like tiny surgeons; it would begin fixing the ailments while the person goes about their business.  This amazing invention was unveiled at the International Solid-States Circuits last February.   The tiny microchip is 3 millimeters wide and 4 millimeters long. It is wirelessly powered in addition to being self-propelling.  Once the doctor has inserted the chip, it will move through fluid or human blood in a controlled motion delivering medicine to exact areas for faster treatment. Expectations are set high for this tiny microchip as it will also be able to perform surgeries such as zapping blood clots or clearing blockage from blood arteries.

However, what is most amazing about the invention is that it does not require a big heavy battery to operate.  The engineering team has created two kinds of wireless energy transfer mechanisms that are used to control and move the chip. One mechanism  drives the current directly through the blood and propels it and the other switches the current back and forth creating a swishing motion. This technology far surpasses anything that has come to the medical market thus far. But even though this invention could prove to be groundbreaking for the medical community there is still much work to be done before it goes to market.

~ Devin Hick